


I Think There’s A Flaw In My Code

by Jen425



Category: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Kamen Rider: All Media Types, Tokusatsu
Genre: (it was Azu), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cuddling & Snuggling, Depression, F/M, Hiden Aruto Needs A Hug, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide attempt, Implied/References Self Harm, Nightmares, Past Abuse, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Relationship, Temporary Character Death, This is mostly Aruto & Izu btw, though probably AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25809070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jen425/pseuds/Jen425
Summary: Azu and Ark-One are defeated by our hero.And then he survives the fallout.
Relationships: Hiden Aruto & Izu, Hiden Aruto/Izu
Comments: 19
Kudos: 62





	I Think There’s A Flaw In My Code

**Author's Note:**

> Stupidly cliche title but WHATEVER.
> 
> The original idea for this was just Izu being revived but reminding Aruto of Azu causing him to flinch at her voice. That ended up barely featuring. Oh well.

“He still hasn’t said a thing since it happened,” Jin says, quietly. “I don’t think anyone can reach him, not after…”

Yua nods, quietly continuing her work. Returning to leading AIMS has been a lot of work, and what with this project, as well…

“Can we do it?” Fuwa asks. “Maybe this will really help him.”

“I’m trying,” Yua offers. “But her memory isn’t backed up, I’m putting together pieces of a data chip with what little bits ARK and ZEA had stored.”

“I hope it’s enough.”

Any of them could have said that.

  
  
  


It’s too fitting to call Aruto’s movements robotic, but that’s how they come across as he opens the door. No charges had been pressed, primarily because the person in charge of cyber crimes had been there to watch Aruto turn Azu to scrap before taking his own weapon and stabbing straight through his belt into his chest. It had all been pinned on Azu and the Ark.

He lets Fuwa in, and then he goes back to his room. Fuwa doesn’t think he’s done anything except sleep or open his door or stare listlessly at anyone who’s come to visit him.

A part of Fuwa thinks _I miss his jokes_.

All technology in the house is off, unplugged if possible, and anything sharp has been removed from the apartment, ever since they’d caught him with a knife covered in blood.

And Fuwa thinks visits from himself or Jin are the only times Aruto eats.

  
  
  


Jin talks a lot when he visits. He doesn’t know why, he just does.

“You know I don’t blame you,” he says, one day. “For killing me. I was protecting Horobi. You were avenging Izu. I understand.”

Aruto is silent.

“I like my new job at Hiden!” Jin says. “I used to hate Thouser, but I’m glad you had us work together until you can come back. Because I know you’ll come back.”

Aruto… is silent.

Jin sighs, and he hopes that Yua finishes her work soon.

  
  
  


Izu shouldn’t have been revived. It was far too many forms of impossible. And yet, and she blinks to consciousness… she seems to contain all of her memories to the point of her death.

Aruto.

She needs to get to Aruto.

She says as much, out loud, noting how everyone in the room breathes a sigh of relief.

“Maybe you can reach him,” Amatsu says.

“Ark used him, after your death,” Fuwa adds.

Aruto needs her.

“He’s at his apartment,” Jin says. “I’ll take you there.”

  
  
  


Aruto blinks. Blinks again. Stares. He can feel himself visibly shaking at the face that haunted his nightmares in two different forms stared back at him.

“It’s really Izu, Aruto,” Jin says. The words process slowly.

“I apology for my absence, Aruto-sama,” Izu says, bowing, but there is a love on her face that Azu had never had, something different from the strange obsessive loyalty Azu had shown.

Azu had always called him “Ark-sama”, as well.

Aruto doesn’t know if he can believe it, but he wants to, so he opens the door to her.

He doesn’t know when Jin leaves, just that Izu is still there.

Izu looks at him.

“Why haven’t you said anything?” She asks. “This is not like you, Aruto-sama.”

Aruto doesn’t realize he flinches until he sees the hurt expression on Izu’s face. Her of all people deserves an explanation, when he had used her to excuse himself until he was fully cornered.

“I-Izu,” he says at last, making his mouth move and form now-unfamiliar sounds and words. “Azu.”

  
  
  


Aruto sleeps a lot now, Izu finds. He seems completely dysfunctional, in fact. Is that the right word? His processing is slow except for when he hears her voice. He always flinches at her voice.

“Azu was Ark’s assistant,” Jin explains, when Izu calls him asking for explanations. “After your death, she used Aruto’s grief to revive Ark. In the end, Aruto killed her and destroyed the Ark-One Driver. But he did… bad things under her thumb, and he hasn’t recovered from any of it. She looked almost identical to yourself, as well.”

“Is that why he flinches from me?” Izu asks.

“Most likely,” Jin replies. “But he did say something, at least.”

“How long has he not spoken?”

“Six months,” Jin replies. “Izu… he’s tried to kill himself, and he feels guilty for maybe more than he should. Be careful.”

“I will do everything in my power to help Aruto,” Izu says. Because it’s true. She doesn’t care what Aruto has done. She’s already chosen to stand by and believe in him, no matter what.

  
  
  


Aruto wakes up from a nightmare to find Izu standing quietly in a corner.

“Jin explained, Aruto-sama,” she says. “I’m sorry my death caused you pain.”

Aruto shakes his head. No. That’s not it, not fully. He doesn’t… can’t imagine trying to explain it.

“Does my appearance upset you?” Izu asks. “I will be with you for as long as I am able, but if I simply upset you—”

“No!” Aruto cries, and the word rips from his throat without thinking. Izu blinks, noise whirring as she looks at him, surprised.

“Then I will stay,” she says. “I apologize for upsetting you, Aruto-sama.”

Aruto can’t help but smile at her words. Azu was never this formal, either.

  
  
  


Izu is a Secretary, not a Maid, however she can’t help but find herself cleaning Aruto’s apartment, simply for something to do. He smiles when he sees it, actually, so she assumes she is still doing her job.

She’s a secretary for a company president, so obviously her job should be to make him capable of returning to his duties, after all…

But…

No.

It’s not just that, anymore. Aruto is hurt and she cares so deeply for him. She wants him to heal for his own sake.

Slowly, she will help him. She swears it.

  
  
  


Aruto slowly gets used to Izu’s presence, and when it’s just them, he starts. He starts feeling some kind of motivation for the first time since…

Well, it’s been some time.

Izu means so much to him, and she’s gone far beyond her job to help him, now. How had he ever let himself forget? This… this was why he loved Humagears. This was why his dream had been unity.

But the others can handle that now. He… he doesn’t know. If he can trust himself.

But.

But.

Izu’s a Secretary, and Izu’s last request had included Horobi, but…

Maybe he’s just been wallowing, he realizes. Maybe he needs to do… something else.

But he isn’t ready yet.

  
  
  


Aruto is having another nightmare, and Izu doesn’t know what to do. This is not her job, and yet… he is tossing and turning, letting out small cries. Aruto is uncomfortable when he wakes up from nightmares to see her, however for some reason on this night she cannot bring herself to leave the room.

And then he says her name.

“Izu…” he murmurs. “M’sorry… m’sorry…”

Humans need physical comfort when in pain, right? That’s. That’s definitely a fact. Izu lays down on the bed next to him. In moments, Aruto’s hand is in hers and he is using her stomach as a pillow, curled into her. His cries quiet.

He’s so soft. 

She thinks she understands why this is so soothing to humans.

  
  
  


Aruto wakes up in an odd position, and he honestly can’t say the last time he felt so rested, despite how much he’s been sleeping. It’s… it feels so warm, and… he can’t help but just want to relax into it, refusing to open his eyes for long minutes.

When he finally does, he finds himself with a fave full of green and white fabric.

“I…zu?” He asks. He realizes he can hear the whirring under her skin much closer, from here, before pulling himself to sitting, and she moves to sitting at the same time. “Why…”

“You were having a nightmare,” Izu says. “I worried that my presence afterwards might still upset you.”

“Oh.”

Izu smiles.

“I am here for you, Aruto-sama,” she says.

Aruto smiles back. “Th-thank you, Izu.”

  
  
  


Izu convinces Aruto to turn on his appliances approximately one month after her revival, but she wouldn’t call that the victory. Though he had apparently spoken none prior to her revival, even when he spoke to her, it was simple phrases.

But this…

“I guess…” he says. “I guess it’s time to spark this place back in gear! _Hai! Aruto ja…nai to!”_

And Izu laughs.

(From the heart.)

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @flaim-ita or @dancingqueen-mai for edits


End file.
